Oil change question on the "M"

[stilov]

I know general consensus is to warm up the engine to thin out oil so it flows better...but my car has been sitting about a month w/o driving.



So all the oil has drained from the head into the pan. Is it counterproductive to start it and warm it up? I was going to leave the drain plug out overnight and just let all of drain out.



What do you think?

 

[contourspd98]

I wouldn't run it if it has been sitting for that long just to change the oil. It's probably not a good idea to leave the drain plug out overnight either. Who knows what'll get in there, a bug or moisture.

 

[alex894]

drain it and rinse the engine with diesel

 

[Scorpion8]

I think there's some old wives tales at work here. Cars routinely sit for months in storage, and fire up without issue upon starting. It's the same as when you change your filter and cannot pre-fill it.... the system runs for a moment w/low oil pressure. There'll only be less than a second of turnover before the oil is pumping again thru the system, and the engine is not hot yet at that point. If you're really concerned, crank it over w/o starting a few times to get oil flow thru thru system. I've never warmed up my oil prior to draining, because I don't want to get burned by hot oil. Wait until you're ready, drain it & change it, and then crank it a few times as above.

 

[94ex]

First of all he lives in New Mexico so moisture is not an issue lol. Here's what you could do if you are worried Taylor. You could drain out what you have in there now, then go get some cheap stuff(non-synthetic), run it through just to warm it up and then drain that and put in the quality synthetic. I think that would be your best bet or just let it sit over night, don't think a bug would crawl up in there.

 

[stilov]

Its draining now